Trionychidae
- noun
- /ˌtraɪəˈnɪkɪdi/
- Specialized
- Unlike most turtles, members of the Trionychidae have a soft, flexible shell rather than a hard one.
Examples
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The Trionychidae are well known for their leathery shells and flattened bodies.
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Scientists have discovered new species within the Trionychidae family in Southeast Asia.
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The Trionychidae family includes unique species of turtles.
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Have you ever seen a Trionychidae in the wild?
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The Trionychidae family includes unique species of turtles found in rivers and lakes.
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Scientists have discovered new species within the Trionychidae family throughout Africa and Asia.
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Unlike most turtles, members of the Trionychidae are recognized for their soft-shelled bodies.
Synonyms
A group of soft-shelled turtles with leathery shells that live in water
Compounds
- Specialized
A group of soft-shelled turtles with leathery shells that live in water
Surface Forms
Morphology
Trionychidae = Trionyx (opaque) = trionych + idae
Formed by a genus name plus the specialized taxonomic suffix '-idae'; this construction is a technical naming convention and not semantically transparent to general learners.
Etymology
The word Trionychidae comes from Greek parts tri- ('three') and onyx ('claw'), and the ending -idae shows it is a family of animals. So the name means 'three-clawed family', which fits these soft-shelled freshwater turtles that have three claws on their front legs.